- Joined
- May 12, 2013
- Messages
- 173
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I started the MDSSP thread back when I was in dental school and so many people reached out asking about the program because the info out there is trash. Now I have people reaching out asking about the AR/NG and the loan repayment. Ill tell you my experience and hopefully you can apply that to your life.
Loan repayment: This is usually the first question I get asked when discussing the AR. Have not received it yet, (not eligible because I took the MDSSP) but I do know some dentist/physicians that have. is it 40K that get thrown at your student loans? NO! It gets its balls taxed off, the usual number I have been told is about 25k. To me, 25k is not worth it. You can work less and deal with less nonsense as a dentist for 25k. Lets say you make 650 bucks a day 5 days a week. ( this was my dailey guarantee last year) and decide to work the same amount in days that the army will pull you away for. 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks a year. That's 24 weekend days and 14 week days so 38 days minimum. That is a little less than 25k. Ok so its the same number, what about the 90 day deployment? What about the 4 weeks for basic training? Sure you are getting paid during those 38 days a salary but IMO its easier as a dentist to make more money for less work to get that extra 25k for your loans. That being said, if you want to join the army for other reasons then it is an awesome deal! In the AR you are not a dentist you are a soldier so if you are into that there ya go! Sign up, play army and get your bonus.
1 weekend a month: Usually starts at 645 am and leave around 530pm. Hour to 1.5 hour lunch. What do we do? Usually nothing too exciting. Both units I have been in were stand alone buildings that are just for the AR. Ive gone shooting once, simulator of rolling a hummer, land nav, and taught a dental class but usually just hanging out chatting in a "class". The classes are usually some army required death by powerpoint. However I am very social so I am usually okay with whats going on. I drink a lot of coffee, chat with the other docs, go to some class and space out, go get lunch and usually after lunch the plan for the day starts to fall apart lol.
Now this is just my units I have been in. I know some docs who will do exams on patients and a little dentistry. Some people in my unit really like the slow moving schedule for their weekend because to them, its a weekend off. Some docs I know are stressed all the time from work and family so they use their army weekend to get away.
In short, you wont be doing very exciting things so if you dont mind hanging out all weekend then its great.
2 weeks active: Havent done it but usually the unit goes together and does something or you sign up for a school, usually out of state, and do that for 2 weeks.
Basic training or BOLC: Look at some other threads on SDN about peoples experience. I am going next year.
Pros:
Tricare health insurance is great. 218 or so bucks for full coverage of your family. Doesnt matter how many people.
The bonus/ loan repayment.
Doing soldier things.
Military ID ( discounts, airport benefits, getting out of traffic tickets, ect)
Great for private practice patient relationships. My patients LOVE that I am in the army. Market yourself.
Networking
Cons:
working 2 weeks straight w/o a weekend (5days a week as a dentist, weekend doing army, back to work)
Time away from family
Nothing works. I mean that in so many different ways
Paperwork and paperwork and paperwork
The weekend pay ( i think its 500ish bucks for both days, 20 hours a weekend)
work to do outside of army time.
Overall am I happy I signed up? yeah I guess. It hasnt been that bad and the pros slightly outweigh the cons.
Feel free to ask any questions.
Loan repayment: This is usually the first question I get asked when discussing the AR. Have not received it yet, (not eligible because I took the MDSSP) but I do know some dentist/physicians that have. is it 40K that get thrown at your student loans? NO! It gets its balls taxed off, the usual number I have been told is about 25k. To me, 25k is not worth it. You can work less and deal with less nonsense as a dentist for 25k. Lets say you make 650 bucks a day 5 days a week. ( this was my dailey guarantee last year) and decide to work the same amount in days that the army will pull you away for. 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks a year. That's 24 weekend days and 14 week days so 38 days minimum. That is a little less than 25k. Ok so its the same number, what about the 90 day deployment? What about the 4 weeks for basic training? Sure you are getting paid during those 38 days a salary but IMO its easier as a dentist to make more money for less work to get that extra 25k for your loans. That being said, if you want to join the army for other reasons then it is an awesome deal! In the AR you are not a dentist you are a soldier so if you are into that there ya go! Sign up, play army and get your bonus.
1 weekend a month: Usually starts at 645 am and leave around 530pm. Hour to 1.5 hour lunch. What do we do? Usually nothing too exciting. Both units I have been in were stand alone buildings that are just for the AR. Ive gone shooting once, simulator of rolling a hummer, land nav, and taught a dental class but usually just hanging out chatting in a "class". The classes are usually some army required death by powerpoint. However I am very social so I am usually okay with whats going on. I drink a lot of coffee, chat with the other docs, go to some class and space out, go get lunch and usually after lunch the plan for the day starts to fall apart lol.
Now this is just my units I have been in. I know some docs who will do exams on patients and a little dentistry. Some people in my unit really like the slow moving schedule for their weekend because to them, its a weekend off. Some docs I know are stressed all the time from work and family so they use their army weekend to get away.
In short, you wont be doing very exciting things so if you dont mind hanging out all weekend then its great.
2 weeks active: Havent done it but usually the unit goes together and does something or you sign up for a school, usually out of state, and do that for 2 weeks.
Basic training or BOLC: Look at some other threads on SDN about peoples experience. I am going next year.
Pros:
Tricare health insurance is great. 218 or so bucks for full coverage of your family. Doesnt matter how many people.
The bonus/ loan repayment.
Doing soldier things.
Military ID ( discounts, airport benefits, getting out of traffic tickets, ect)
Great for private practice patient relationships. My patients LOVE that I am in the army. Market yourself.
Networking
Cons:
working 2 weeks straight w/o a weekend (5days a week as a dentist, weekend doing army, back to work)
Time away from family
Nothing works. I mean that in so many different ways
Paperwork and paperwork and paperwork
The weekend pay ( i think its 500ish bucks for both days, 20 hours a weekend)
work to do outside of army time.
Overall am I happy I signed up? yeah I guess. It hasnt been that bad and the pros slightly outweigh the cons.
Feel free to ask any questions.
